andMr. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice if he has reached a decision on the recommendations of the Restrictive Practices Commission that (a) it be no longer necessary to extinguish a publichouse licence to obtain a new one, (b) a national licensing authority be set up and (c) the Garda be given power to enter clubs in the same manner as they may enter publichouses since his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 149 of 29 June 1978 on the matter.
Written Answers. - Licensing Laws Recommendations.
131.
I indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 16 on 28 January 1981 that I hope to introduce a Bill that may help to counteract certain abuses leading to excessive drinking, especially by young people, and that if the Government decide that amendments should be included either in that or in a later Bill to make some other changes in the licensing laws, the proposals will come before the House in the normal way. That reply is applicable to the present question. I cannot anticipate what the decisions of the Government may be but, as the House was informed in the course of a debate on Tuesday last, I hope that certain proposals can be put before the Government shortly